Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-09-24


gnpher of the House with one year
inthe Senate) since he was seven
ten years old, having gone there
right from college. He is a man, a
little above medium height, with
sandy gray hair, cropped short, and
vhiskers of the same shape. He
moves about-or rather jumps about
the house with nervous activity,
and his fingers are always in motion.
He is we'll informed in parliamentary
matters, is a reader of books, and
has fund of recollections of his as
sociations with public men VINO have
been in Congress since 1849. He
has one of the finest private libra
ries to be found anywhere. Seated
in his den, he is surrounded by rare
books and souvenirs. His books
of reference cover almost every con-
ceivable inquiry. He first appeared
as Congressional stenographer dur
ing the compromise Congress. He
was first in the Senate for year.
II remember" he said, as he sat
in his study the other evening talk
ing with a reporter, chat L could
hardly keep from laughing the fifnt
speech / reported. 1t was Senator
S. N. Downs, tall, ungainly man
with the most ridiculous gestures.
He stood with his shoulders thrown
back, and all his gestures through
out the speech was made behind. 1t
was most absurd figure. But he
was a nice man, as pleasant and
agreeable as ever you saw. Most
of the statesmen of those days were
agreeable and polite in their man
ners. In those days the Congress
sional reporters came from England.
They did not take everything said,
as is done now. They reported just
what they thought proper, and left
the rest with barely a reference.
They exercised their own discretion.
You will see by looking over the old
records that they would wind up
with Messrs. So And-So and So and
So spoke upon the question. Mr..
Calhoun, then in the House, used
to be badly treated as to reports.
The stenographers did not have to
report him unless they wanted to,
and, as he was difficult, they did not
devote much time to him. / remem-
Der 1 reported speech for him when
| first went to the House. | was so
small then that members used to
take me for page, greatly to my
Indignation. Calhoun had rapid,
conversational style of speaking that
was difficult to report for those who
got along easily with the rolling
measures of Webster's eloquence or
the more artificial oratory of Clay.
He was pleasant man. He stood
straight, with dignifed bearing,
and like Webster, was always kind
and gentle with boys.
webster was comparatively
easy man TO report" he went on.
"His language ran so smooth and
musical, and was so full of force il
seemed inspired and spontaneous.
The art in his speeches was not as
easily detected as in the speeches
made by Clay. l could always tell
when he was going to make speech.
Ordinarily he was careless, wearing
a steelpen coat and a high black
cravat. When I saw HMM his blue
coat with brass buttons, his eyes
bright his manner alert and active,
sitting squarely up in his seat, see
ing and hearing and knowing every
thing. KNEW he was going to speak.
He had most wonderful power of
explanation, and could make the
most difficult point so clear that you
would wonder why you did not see
it that way before. He possessed
great calmness and repose, and made
few gestures in speaking. Clay had
way of throwing himself back
when he spoke. His voice was well
under control aud never harsh. In
private life he was irascible. In
public he was suave, and remarkable
for his great politeness. Benton did
not like him did not regard him as
a man of any learning. Benton used
two pairs of glasses when he read
He would have one on his nose and
would hold the other in his hand,
drawing them back and forth to get
the focus, while he looked at book
and questioned the Kentucky orator
as he might school boy. He was
much disguised because Clay pro-
nounced chihuahua just as the Eng
lish sound of letters might indicate,
instead of 'Che.wa wa Clay nearly
always had one shoe unlaced and